1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a humidifying membrane module.
Further, the present invention relates to a humidifying membrane module which is useful for filtrating various materials by using a hollow fiber type separation membrane.
Further, the present invention is particularly useful as a humidifying membrane module for a fuel battery.
2. Description of the Conventional Art
Conventionally, the humidifying membrane module is structured such that air to be humidified passes through a hollow fiber membrane and humidified air passes outside the hollow fiber membrane.
Further, as this kind of humidifying hollow fiber membrane module, there have been known a structure of a humidifying hollow fiber membrane module for a fuel battery as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2004-202478 or Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2005-224719.
A description will be given of this kind of conventionally known humidifying hollow fiber membrane module on the basis of FIGS. 5 and 6.
In this case, FIG. 6 is a sectional view along a line A-A in FIG. 5.
In the figures, in order to feed water at a highest efficiency, an inflow port 600 and an outflow port 700 are arranged in a module case 500 in such a manner as to make humidified air flow toward an opposite side in an axial direction with 180 degree displacement in a circumferential direction from an end to another end, with respect to a hollow fiber membrane 100 in which both ends are potted by a filling adhesive agent 400.
Further, the humidified air passing through the inflow port 600 so as to flow into a chamber of the module case 500 is diffused in a longitudinal direction of the hollow fiber membrane 100.
Further, this kind of membrane module is structured such that the module case 500 is arranged within an outer case member (not shown), and a seal member is interposed in a gap between an inner wall surface of the outer case member and an outer wall surface of the module case 500, thereby sealing the gap in a liquid tight manner.
Further, an inlet and an outlet for making a fluid flow within the hollow fiber membrane are provided at both ends of the outer case member, and an entrance and an exit for making it flow on an outer surface of the hollow fiber membrane in a crossing manner are provided in side surfaces in the vicinity of both ends thereof, thereby being used.
However, since the case is constructed by a two-layer structure having the module case 500 and the outer case member, not only it is expensive but also a weight of a whole of a membrane module is heavy, and a shape can not help being enlarged.
Further, since the case is constructed by the two-layer structure, a lot of assembling man-hour is necessary.